Arduino is partnering with SUPSI (the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland) to collaborate on the Master of Advanced Studies in Interaction Design:
Students applying for this program will attend courses on physical computing and interaction design held by co-founders of the Arduino project such as Massimo Banzi; furthermore, they will have the opportunity to develop the master thesis in collaboration with Arduino and spend a whole term working with the Arduino platform in order to create innovative projects.

This one-year program provides a practical training in interaction design: courses on design methods and thinking are combined with prototyping sessions that will enable students to accomplish a whole design process, from concepts to prototypes and testing.
Have a look to the detailed program here.

What makes the MAS in interaction design at SUPSI very interesting is:
1) The teachers are all practitioners working for relevant design studios and companies based in Lugano or Milan.
2) Students will be able to collaborate on projects developed by the Interaction Design Lab SUPSI, a new lab dedicated to the research in the field of Ambient Intelligence, equipped with prototyping tools such as a 3D printer and multi-touch screens;
3) Master courses are managed in collaboration with the “Department of Innovative Technologies”, a SUPSI department world renowned for advanced projects in fields such as artificial intelligence, computer science, electronic and mechanical engineering (SUPSI has its own satellite built by the students: http://www.spacelab.dti.supsi.ch/tiSat1.html);
4) Students can develop the master thesis in collaboration with the Arduino project and Tiscali, an Italian company, market leader for telecommunication and ICT services, based in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy).
4) SUPSI students can easily transform their thesis project in a concept for a start up: the Centre for start-up promotions of the Canton Ticino provides spaces and the technical and management knowledge to create an innovative company (of course, your project must be very innovative to be selected by the Centre board). And, moreover, the Canton Ticino, where the master program will take place, is very welcoming to start ups and young enterprises (www.venturelab.ch) by providing free courses on developing business plans and funds for innovative ideas in the field of advanced technology.

SUPSI is located in a wonderful natural setting:

Lugano lies in a bay on the northern side of Lake Lugano, surrounded by amazing green mountains. It’s the Switzerland’s third most important financial centre and a conference, banking and business centre, but also a town of parks, villas, museums and buildings of high architectural value. 1 hour from milan, half an hour from lake Como. For lovers of the outdoors and sports it’s a great place to be.

To discover more about Lugano and Canton Ticino:
www.ticino.ch
www.luganotourism.ch
www.agendalugano.ch
www.mendrisiotourism.ch

More info about the Master of Advanced Studies in Interaction Design SUPSI are available at www.maind.supsi.ch

Application deadline is 2nd May 2011.
Hurry Up. Partial scholarships are available upon the evaluation of portfolios and CVs